Salt Lake County officials have announced a new grant program available to area cities to improve the commuter bicycle experience.
County Mayor Ben McAdams says the plan is to use a small portion of the $40-million plus transportation budget to double the number of bicycle commuters in a relatively short period of time.
“So our $800,000 dollars will create an additional 87 miles of dedicated bikeway and it’ll leverage the 400 miles that are already existing in various cities throughout the Salt Lake Valley," says McAdams. So we’re beginning the build out of really a county-wide bicycle and pedestrian transportation network.”
Sandy City has already accepted a $152-thousand dollar grant to improve commuter bike routes on 114th South and along 7th East between 78th and 94th South. McAdams says safety is the primary focus.
“We want to make so that the people who choose to bike can do so safely and those who are in a car can get around without risk of accident with the cyclists,” says McAdams.
He says it could take more than a year before the network is complete. Bluffdale, Holladay, Millcreek, South Salt Lake, Murray and West Jordan are cities or areas who have already applied for and received commuter bike network grants.
